Vital

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Vital

R

Released May 18, 2004

1h 26m

Drama

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Popcornmeter

86%

Tomatometer

7 Reviews

71%

Popcornmeter

2,500+ Ratings

Following a devastating car accident that took both his memory and the life of his girlfriend (Nami Tsukamoto), Hiroshi Takagi (Tadanobu Asano) begins searching for answers. When he happens upon an anatomy textbook in his closet, Takagi remembers his pre-accident studies and decides to enroll in medical school. During the course of his lessons, Takagi is involved with the dissection of cadavers when he becomes obsessed with one body in particular, and memories slowly begin to return.

David Rooney

Variety

Macabre yet oddly poignant, graphically physical but also metaphysical, clinical yet unexpectedly soulful.

Jun 30, 2005

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David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

A typically worthless endeavor from noted hack Shinya Tsukamoto...

Rated: 0/4

Jan 27, 2013

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MaryAnn Johanson

Flick Filosopher

Beautiful and disturbing, this Asian horror art film explores the intersection between madness and grief with a serene calm that belies the psychological turmoil under its silken surface.

Feb 11, 2006

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Josh Ralske

All Movie Guide

Vital offers its share of disturbing images and gristly medical-lab sound effects, but in the end, its pursuit of closure is surprisingly hopeful.

Rated: 6/10

Aug 4, 2005

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Daniel Kasman

d+kaz. intelligent movie reviews

Rated: B-

Feb 28, 2005

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Jon Popick

Planet S Magazine

As expected, Tsukamoto attacks as many of your senses as possible.

Feb 26, 2005

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Audience Member

Shin'ya Tsukamoto's masterfully crafted study of love and grief is brutally oppressive and grim. A challenging view, the main character is both literally and metaphorically deconstructing his love.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/22/23

Full Review

Audience Member

The cinematography in this movie is nothing short of amazing, creating a poetic atmosphere. The story is way too out there... you need to get past the WTF factor to go along with it.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/09/23

Full Review

Audience Member

A movie about the function of memory and personality; about sadness and loss; about dreams and reality. Tsukamoto does something here that most film-makers never do, even after making dozens of films: he gives us moments of stark, transcendental beauty. This is as close to visual literature as you will ever get. Ryoko's dancing embodies the title: as a ghost of a memory that will soon fade, she suddenly lives for all that she's worth.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/19/23

Full Review

Audience Member

The constant sense of brooding is perfectly balanced by Director Shinya Tsukamoto's visual alchemy, visceral yet psychological. Vital is an exploration of how far the human mind can be bended before losing its marbles.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/26/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Visually true to the man behind Tetsuo and A Snake of June Vital tells a dark and disturbing love story where love conquers all... and true love can never be truly forgotten. They say love can hurt and in Vital cuts deep to the heart of it dealing with psychosis, amnesia, brilliance, depression and even mild S&M in order to bring forth a film of a mad doctor to be who's madly in love with a lovely lady who's just plain mad.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/28/23

Full Review

Audience Member

It's quite a bizarre movie - but as it goes further into the depths of Asano's keen interest - it becomes moreso

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/15/23

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Shin'ya Tsukamoto

Director

Tadanobu Asano

Hiroshi Takagi

Nami Tsukamoto

Ryôko Ooyama

Kiki

Ikumi

Lily

Hiroshi's mother

Jun Kunimura

Mr. Ooyama, Ryôko's father

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Synopsis

Following a devastating car accident that took both his memory and the life of his girlfriend (Nami Tsukamoto), Hiroshi Takagi (Tadanobu Asano) begins searching for answers. When he happens upon an anatomy textbook in his closet, Takagi remembers his pre-accident studies and decides to enroll in medical school. During the course of his lessons, Takagi is involved with the dissection of cadavers when he becomes obsessed with one body in particular, and memories slowly begin to return.

Director: Shin'ya Tsukamoto
Producer: Kiyo Joo, Shin-Ichi Kawahara, Ittoku Kishibe, Keiko Kusakabe, Koichi Kusakabe, Shin'ya Tsukamoto
Screenwriter: Shin'ya Tsukamoto
Distributor: Tartan Films USA
Production Co: Kaijyu Theater
Rating: R (Aberrant Sexual Behavior|Disturbing Images|Brief Language)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: Japanese
Release Date (Theaters): May 18, 2004, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 29, 2020
Runtime: 1h 26m

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